CBC: Despite uncertainty surrounding the future of the Mackenzie Valley gas project government officials continue to visit some of the smallest communities in the Territory to talk about the project. The Northern Gas Project Secretariat held a public information meeting in Colville Lake last night. Some residents say the pipeline will help local businesses, while other say the environmental costs associated with the project are just too great. Mark Winkler was in Colville Lake and has this report.

WINKLER: Most of the people who attended last night’s meeting chose to speak their native language; North Slavey. John Blancho (?) is an elder from Colville Lake. At last night’s meeting, speaking through a translator, he said gas exploration is threatening his traditional way of life.

TRANLATION: Ever since we had development and industry in our land we notice that there’s a change in the wildlife. Our caribou and that are lessening. So we don’t know like how things will be for us in the future.

WINKLER: Over the past five years Paramount Resources has drilled a total of 10 gas wells in the Colville Lake region. If the Mackenzie Valley pipeline is built residents might also see pipelines running across their land. This is a concern for some, but others think more development will benefit the community. Ryan Kochon started a business last year maintaining the ice roads to the drilling rigs.

KOCHON: It’s kind of okay for us young people. …(inaudible)…one person beside me and then now I’m trying to hire two persons now, two or probably three.

WINKLER: But there are still a lot of questions to be answered before the proposed pipeline is built. Next month Imperial Oil is expected to say whether or not it will proceed to public hearings.

Mark Winkler, CBC News